Rents are right about where Garfield's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,433 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Garfield is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2022.
Rent in Garfield changed +8.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 121 New Jersey cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($79,700) is $1,993 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,830); a 3-bedroom is $2,250.
Passaic, 2 miles away, rents for 16% less ($2,055/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Garfield. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Garfield, NJ is majority renter-occupied, 25.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Garfield, NJ has changed in 5 years
Since 2022, the typical rent in Garfield, NJ has increased from $1,718 to $2,433, a 41.6% change over five years. Median household income rose from $66,296 to $79,700 between 2021 and 2024, a 20.2% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 25.8% of adults here, versus 23.2% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Garfield, NJ reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Garfield on your salary?
At $2,433/mo, how Garfield rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Garfield rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Garfield. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Garfield
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Garfield is $2,433/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,370/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,830/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,600/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,250/mo.
At 37% of local median household income ($79,700/yr), Garfield ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 8.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Garfield?
Is rent going up or down in Garfield?
How does Garfield rent compare to other cities in New Jersey?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Garfield?
At $2,433/mo, rent takes ~37% of Garfield's median household income ($79,700/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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